Hygiene Corner: Why Do We Ask Patients To Stick Out Their Tongue?

Hygiene Corner

When your dental hygienist asks you to stick out your tongue, it's not rude to comply....You know the drill! They grab the end of your tongue with that gross tasting gauze.

When you visit Michelle or myself for your regular hygiene appointment, we always provide you with an oral cancer screening. We are doing a visual examination for changes to the tongue and tissues inside the mouth that sould be signs of cancers. Survival rates can increase from 50% to over 90% with early detection.